Occupational Therapy Ph.D.

Occupational Therapy Ph.D. program applicants must submit:

1. A completed application along with a $50 non-refundable application fee and a letter of application.The Ph.D. Program has three start dates each year (January, May, & August). See table below. Notice of acceptance or other action by the Committee on Admissions will be on a "rolling" or periodic schedule. Early completion of the application is therefore, in the student's best interest.

   Semester Start	Application Deadline	Classes Begin
   Winter 2026	Dec. 8, 2025	Jan. 5, 2026
   Summer 2026	Apr. 19, 2026	May 11, 2026
   Fall 2026	Aug. 9, 2026	Aug. 17, 2026

2. Test of English as a Foreign language Examination (TOEFL) scores or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores (foreign applicants only).
3. Official transcripts from all undergraduate, professional and graduate institutions attended sent directly from the institution.
4. Undergraduate and graduate course work taken at a foreign institution must be evaluated for U.S. institution equivalence by one of the three services listed below. It is the applicant's responsibility to have this course work evaluated, and an official evaluation must be sent to NSU. You should contact:
   
   
   • World Education Services, Inc.
     P. O. Box 5087
     Bowling Green Station
     New York, NY 10274-5087
     (212) 966-6311
     www.wes.org
   • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
     P.O. Box 415070
     Milwaukee, WI 53203
     (414) 289-3400
     www.ece.org

Upon receipt of the completed application and required credentials, the Committee on Admissions will notify, in writing, applicants who are selected for an interview. Interviews may be conducted online via Zoom video conferencing platform. No applicant will be admitted to the Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy Program without an interview, but an invitation to appear for an interview should not be construed by the applicant as evidence of acceptance.

Send your transcripts and evaluations to NSU's Enrollment Processing Services at:

Nova Southeastern University
Enrollment Processing Services
3301 College Avenue-P.O. Box 299000
Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33314-9905

The Occupational Therapy doctoral programs select students based on cumulative GPA and potential for success in the program.

Minimum Requirements:

• applicants must have a minimum cumulative master’s degree or a professional doctoral GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
• graduate-level research methods course
• master's degree

1. Applicants must have a bachelor's or master's degree in occupational therapy from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized university or college and be eligible to practice within one year of initiating the program.  If the applicant's bachelor's degree is in occupational therapy, then the applicant's master's degree may be in any field.
2. International applicants must present the equivalent of a bachelor's degree and evidence of successful completion of an O.T. educational program approved by WFOT. Coursework taken at foreign institutions must be evaluated for U.S. institution equivalence by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization, such as one of the services listed below.
   • World Education Services, Inc.
     P.O. Box 745
     Old Chelsea Station
     New York, NY 10113-0745
     (212) 966-6311
     www.wes.org
   • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
     P.O. Box 415070
     Milwaukee, WI 53203
     (414) 289-3400
     www.ece.org
     It is the applicant's responsibility to have the course work evaluated.  An official course-by-course evaluation with a cumulative grade point average must be sent directly from the evaluation service to NSU's Enrollment Processing Services.
3. International applicants also must take the test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and obtain a score of 550 or higher for written or 213 or higher for the computer-based test.
4. All students will be required to have a computer that meets the recommended minimum specifications

The dean is empowered to evaluate the total qualifications of every applicant and to modify requirements in unusual circumstances.

Our program is offered in an online distance education format with only two required on-campus visits during the curriculum. Each on-campus visit is between 2-4 days in duration. During the curriculum, Ph.D. students are required to travel to our beautiful main campus in South Florida once during their first year of coursework and a second time during either their 2^nd or 3^rd year of coursework (depending on their course sequence).

The rest of the semesters are completed entirely online through online learning technology, asynchronous discussion postings, and live voice discussions. There is a research residency requirement and a qualifying process prior to starting your dissertation phase. Your dissertation phase can be completed entirely online from a distance.

Earn your degree in 61 credit hours, completing the program in as little as three to four years.

Route 1

Occupational Therapists with a master's degree from an accredited institution may enter the Ph.D. program. Students with a master's degree must complete:

 

Route 2

Bridge to Ph.D. Program

The Bridge to Ph.D. program offers occupational therapists who have completed a postprofessional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy (O.T.D. or Dr.O.T.) an easy transition to a research doctoral program.

The admissions criteria and curriculum for the Bridge to Ph.D. program are the same as the Ph.D. programs; however students in the bridge program can transfer up to 12 credits from their previously completed postprofessional doctoral program.

Transferred credits are accepted in lieu of up to two core courses and up to two elective courses and are subject to evaluation of course syllabi and grades by the Ph.D. program director.

Note: A prospective student should consult the University catalog. Should any discrepancies exist between the catalog and this web page, the University catalog will be considered to be the official binding document.

Visit the Tuition and Fees page for more information.